Ma'anar ƙamus na "atomic pile" yana nufin na'urar da aka yi amfani da ita don samar da makamashin nukiliya ta hanyar sarrafa halayen nukiliya. Wani nau'i ne na makamashin nukiliya wanda ke amfani da uranium ko wasu kayan fissile a matsayin mai kuma yana ɗaukar ma'aikaci don rage jinkirin neutron da aka saki yayin fission don ci gaba da amsa sarkar. Kalmar “atomic pile” tsohuwar kalma ce ta makamashin nukiliya, wadda aka yi amfani da ita a farkon binciken makamashin nukiliya.